Pre-Construction Meeting Checklist

📁

Before the Meeting: Documents & Prep

0/8

Gather your signed purchase agreement and every addendum

Collect all signed change orders and design center selection sheets

Print or save the latest floor plan and elevation drawings you approved

Review the plot plan / site plan showing your home's placement on the lot

Confirm your financing status — loan approval current, rate lock timeline understood

Write down every question and concern that's come up since contract

Confirm your agent is attending the meeting with you

Block 2–3 hours — a rushed pre-con meeting is how mistakes survive

Tip: Bring physical copies of everything, even if the builder says they'll have it on screen. When documents disagree, you want your signed versions on the table.

📐

Plans & Structural Review

0/8

Verify the floor plan matches your contract — correct plan name, square footage, and version

Confirm every structural option you purchased appears on the plans (extended garage, bonus room, covered patio, extra windows, etc.)

Verify the elevation style and exterior materials match what you selected

Check window and door placement room by room against the plan

Confirm ceiling heights and treatments (9'/10' ceilings, coffers, vaults) where purchased

Review kitchen layout — island size, cabinet runs, appliance locations and sizes

Confirm the garage dimensions fit your vehicles (measure your largest one first)

Ask about anything on the plan you don't understand — symbols, dashed lines, notes

🗺️

Lot & Site Plan

0/8

Confirm the lot number and address match your contract

Review home orientation on the lot — which way it faces, sun exposure, driveway side

Understand setbacks and usable yard space front, back, and sides

Ask how the lot will be graded and drained — where water goes in a Treasure Valley spring

Confirm what landscaping, fencing, and irrigation the builder includes vs. what you'll add later (ask about pressurized irrigation availability in your community)

Locate utility meters, A/C unit, and easements on the plot plan

Ask about driveway width, walkways, and patio dimensions

If planning a future pool, shop, or RV parking, confirm access and HOA/setback feasibility now

Idaho note: Many Treasure Valley communities use pressurized irrigation for yards — separate from your drinking water. Ask how it's billed, when the district turns it on and off each season, and who maintains the system.

🎨

Selections & Finishes Verification

0/7

Read the full selections list line by line — every item should have a product name, color, and location

Verify exterior colors and materials — siding, stone/brick, roof, trim, front door

Confirm flooring types and transitions room by room

Verify cabinet style/color, counters, and backsplash for kitchen and all baths

Confirm appliance brand, model numbers, and fuel type (gas vs. electric range)

Review every allowance item — what happens to unused allowance, and what overages cost

Ask the deadline for final selection changes and get it in writing

💡

Electrical & Low-Voltage Walkthrough

0/8

Walk the plan and mark outlet locations — think about furniture placement, nightstands, and kitchen counters

Verify switch locations make sense at every doorway (3-way switches on stairs and halls)

Confirm ceiling fan pre-wires/blocking in bedrooms, great room, and covered patio

Confirm pendant and fixture locations over islands and dining areas

Verify data/media locations — TV walls, office, and where internet service enters the home

Ask about an EV charger circuit (or conduit) in the garage — far cheaper now than after drywall

Confirm exterior outlets — patio, front porch, holiday-light soffit outlets on a switch

Ask about smart home pre-wires — doorbell camera, security, speakers, shades

Tip: Electrical is the #1 category of post-move-in regret. Adding an outlet costs little today and hundreds later. When in doubt, add it.

🔧

Plumbing, HVAC & Mechanical

0/7

Verify plumbing fixture locations and any upgrades (freestanding tub, double vanities, pot filler)

Confirm gas stub-outs — range, fireplace, patio BBQ, garage heater if desired

Confirm exterior hose bibs — count and locations (all four sides is ideal)

Ask about a water softener loop and reverse-osmosis rough-in — common requests given Treasure Valley hard water

Review HVAC design — system size, zones, and register locations; ask how bonus rooms over garages are handled

Confirm thermostat location(s) and smart thermostat compatibility

Confirm water heater type and location (tank vs. tankless) and drain locations

📅

Timeline, Communication & Process

0/8

Get the estimated construction schedule with major milestones (foundation, framing, drywall, completion)

Identify your single point of contact during construction and how updates arrive (app, email, calls)

Confirm which buyer walkthroughs are scheduled (pre-drywall and final at minimum)

Ask the builder's site visit policy — when you can visit and photograph progress

Confirm you may hire independent inspections at pre-drywall and final

Understand the change order process after today — cost, cutoffs, and approval steps

Ask how weather and supply delays are communicated — Idaho winters can shift schedules

Review warranty coverage — what's covered at 1 year, 2 years, and structurally, and how claims are filed

✅

Before You Leave & After the Meeting

0/6

Do a final read-back: the superintendent summarizes every agreed change while you follow along

Get every change documented in writing before leaving — verbal agreements don't get built

Request signed copies of the final plans, selections, and meeting notes

Photograph or scan everything you signed and store it with your contract file

Calendar the next milestones — selection deadlines, pre-drywall walkthrough, inspection windows

Send any corrections or follow-up questions by email within 48 hours to create a written record

Golden rule: If it isn't in writing, it doesn't exist. The pre-construction meeting only protects you if the paperwork leaving the room matches what was said in it.